A rich, spice-packed lesson in parts unknown. Maurer is all about heart and soul, built on a foundation of organic agriculture and experimentation. Grown on Serbia’s Fruška Gora mountain, a mere 500 MILLION years old, with vineyards set on volcanic bedrock & covered in marine sediment #TasteTheRainbow. The aromatic and herbaceous kövidinka vines were planted in 1925 with serious old-vine energy. Handpicked grapes are left seven days on skin before aging in old Hungarian oak for eight months building texture. Bletted quince, pear sauce, mint oil, cardamom pod, lime blossom & the reverb of volcanic activity contorting unrelenting minerality. Enjoy while creating your own cold-weather traditions, Domino’s pizza in an Ikea designed blanket fort can be the holiday moment your heart needs.

A zero-zero and gorgeously wacky hidden gem field blend. Maskerade is the range released by the world famous Gut Oggau from their new and developing vines, sometimes young vines or vineyards in conversion to biodynamics, the masks symbolize that the true personality of the vineyard has not yet been revealed. A mix of destemming and direct pressing, the wine spends time in Austrian oak for a touch of glamour and is left with a perfect kiss of sweetness and lifting volatile acidity (va), a combo we know you can’t get enough of! Strawberry Campino candies, hibiscus, aged cheese rind, pool meets mushroomy cave, greenscape, sugar cookie bonnie bell lip smackers, cherry + pits & lemon jolts. Drink with anything braised.

A pensive, stirring & zero-zero representation of what can be created from southern France’s rich terroirs. Welcome to the cool, new, South-of-France cat in town, Joe Jefferies! After moving from England (due to a case of the LOVE BUG) to settle in the village of Caux, Joe has taken up some handsome vines residing on old lava flows from a long extinct volcano in the area. A (20%) blend of vivacious grenache gris, the rich-greeness of grenache blanc & the spicy florality of grenache noir all from 2019, melded with (80%) grenache gris, noir & savoury cinsault from 2020. The basalt soils seem to have their claws dug deep across this whole lineup, with inexhaustible mineral freshness, how ScrUmPtiOuS! All of the grapes were given a six day maceration, and co-fermented in each vintage to promote lasting cohesion & tender tannins. A tension wielding wonder with a backbone of underripe raspberry acidity, whiffs of breezy and well integrated VA (volatile acidity), hot dust, dark flowers, cherry and pit, fresh herb harvest, ensnaring tannins & an enviable concentration like a 23-year-old learning to do their taxes. Enjoy while reading anything by Aaron Ayscough.